Ewels comes into the side having won his first caps for England during the autumn internationals, combining with Stooke, who is back from injury, in the second row.

Beno Obano and Max Lahiff pack down either side of Ross Batty to form a new front row, whilst Matt Garvey will lead the team from the blindside flank. Tom Ellis continues on the openside and Paul Grant has been named at number eight.

Darren Allinson and Dan Bowden renew their half-back partnership, as Ben Tapuai and Max Clark continue to combine in the midfield. Semesa Rokoduguni and Jack Wilson are the threats out wide on the wing, and Tom Homer starts at fullback.

]]>http://www.bathrugby.com/match-previews/ewels-and-stooke-back-for-bath-rugby/Fri, 09 Dec 16 11:01:16 +00:00International-studded Exeter Braves see off Bath United second-half rallyDespite a strong rally from Bath United in the second-half, Exeter Braves came out on top of tonight’s Aviva A League clash at Sandy Park, winning 43-22.

With seven internationals and a host of Aviva Premiership experience in the Exeter Braves, it was always going to be challenging evening for the young Bath United side.

The Braves’ first breach of the try line came after three minutes, with the home side pulling the United defence in tight after a lineout drive, before quickly shifting the ball out to the wing. Max Bodilly was the man flirting with the touchline, and he dotted down in the corner. 5-0.

United quickly picked themselves up, bravely defending to the last man. It wasn’t enough to hold the experienced Braves out for long however, with Michele Campagnaro scoring an almost identical try to his midfield partner Bodilly’s after 15 minutes. 10-0.

The Braves strategy was quickly becoming clear, with every penalty – even those kickable – being sent to touch for the attacking lineout, and it paid dividends twice in the second quarter with replacement hooker Shaun Malton m burrowing over under a pile of bodies on both occasions. Joe Simmonds, who had sent both previous conversion attempts wide of the posts, found his range and angle to add the extras to both tries. 24-0.

Ollie Atkins scored the final try of the half for the home side. They shifted the angle of attack repeatedly, stretching the United defence and allowing the lock the space to power his way over the line. Simmonds added the conversion to round off the action for the first-half.

Half-time: Exeter Braves 31 – Bath United 0.

With the home crowd eagerly anticipating more of the same in the second 40, it was the visitors who came out brighter from the changing rooms. They controlled possession early on and when awarded the penalty, Adam Hastings sent the kick into touch for the lineout. The ball was quickly sent spiralling out wide, and a looping final pass found the hands of the waiting Levi Davis, who strolled over for United’s first try of the night. Rory Jennings added the touchline conversion. 31-7.

A much more open game unfolded in the second-half, both sides looking to run from deep and with United finally managing to get their hands on the ball for sustained periods.

Davis scored his second on the 53rd minute, in a similar move to the first with the winger in space out wide receiving the ball and gliding over to score. 31-12.

The Braves were quick to resort to their tried and tested method of scoring from the first-half when awarded a penalty in the United half – sending the ball to touch, securing the lineout and driving over the line. Malton scored his third of the night on 59 minutes, but Simmonds couldn’t convert. 36-12.

The see-sawing nature of the second-half continued in the last quarter – Guy Mercer broke free down the right flank and found Bath Academy U18s fullback Will Partington in support. The young back dashed for the line, and just managed to ground the ball by the corner flag before the Exeter defence caught him. 36-17.

It was a night of multiple scores, as first Atkins dotted down for his second with just over 10 minutes to play (Simmonds converted) for the hosts, then Davis got his third to round-off the scoring for the night.

And what a try it was. United were under pressure in their own 22, but some frantic defence forced the turnover. Hastings put in a desperate kick downfield to get play out of the danger zone, and the ball bobbled along the edge of the touchline, skirting the whitewash. It looked destined to go out, but instead the ball stayed in play and sat up neatly for Davis to gather and run in his hat-trick score.

Final score: Exeter Braves 43 – Bath United 22.

]]>http://www.bathrugby.com/academy-news/international-studded-exeter-braves-see-off-bath-united-second-half-rally/Mon, 05 Dec 16 21:33:30 +00:00Mercer to captain Bath United against Exeter BravesGuy Mercer will captain Bath United tonight at Sandy Park when they take on Exeter Braves, kick-off 19.30.

Mercer takes the openside shirt, with Josh Bayliss on the blindside and Paul Grant at number eight. Elsewhere in the pack, Levi Douglas is joined by Dom McGeekie in the second row, and Michael van Vuuren is named at hooker with Nick Auterac and James Hall either side of him in the front row.

Will Homer and Adam Hastings form the half-back partnership, as Rory Jennings and Jeff Williams combine in the midfield. Levi Davies and Darren Atkins start out wide on the wings and Will Partington completes the line-up at fullback.

Hooker Jack Walker could make his first appearance of the season if called upon from the bench.

Bath United team to face Exeter Braves

15. Will Partington

14. Darren Atkins

13. Jeff Williams

12. Rory Jennings

11. Levi Davis

10. Adam Hastings

9. Will Homer

1. Nick Auterac

2. Michael van Vuuren

3. James Hall

4. Dom McGeekie

5. Levi Douglas

6. Josh Bayliss

7. Guy Mercer ( c )

8. Paul Grant

Replacements

16. Jack Walker

17. Sam Nixon

18. Chester Allen

19. Gabriel Oghre

20. Ben Rath

21. Tom Galbraith

]]>http://www.bathrugby.com/academy-news/mercer-to-captain-bath-united-against-exeter-braves/Mon, 05 Dec 16 12:05:38 +00:00Bath Rugby move up to second with victory over league leadersBath Rugby clung on for a 14-11 Aviva Premiership win over Saracens in front of a record crowd at the Recreation Ground this afternoon.

A sold-out Rec was witness to a tense encounter between the two sides, with Bath’s defence eventually closing out the game.

The home side took an early lead after a stunning break from Taulupe Faletau. The Welsh international turned the ball over when Saracens were in possession and surged down the field. The ball found its way to Brew on the wing, and though he was bundled into touch, the resulting breakdown gave Bath put-in at the scrum. The pack heaved forward and a penalty was quickly signalled by referee Greg Garner. Tom Homer lined up the angled kick, and sent it neatly through the posts. 3-0.

Alex Lozowski drew level for Saracens on the 19th minute, but Homer quickly returned the favour for Bath, taking them back in front a minute later.

A huge kick from the left boot of Ben Tapuai on the next penalty gave Bath a five metre lineout. The ball was moved swiftly through the hands, first one way across the pitch and then back again, frantically drawing the Saracens defence. Dan Bowden sent a miss-pass firing out to Tapuai who jinked his way towards the try line. The centre couldn’t quite make it to the line himself, but his offload found Tapuai’s midfield partner Max Clark, who caught the ball sumptuously with one hand before sliding over the line. 11-3.

The Aviva Premiership and European Champions weren’t about to let Bath have it all their own way however, and they cranked up the pressure as the first-half drew to a close.

Bath were forced into some frantic defending of their own, and it looked as if the Saracens forwards had forced their way over the line – only the arm of Tom Ellis prevented the score. The visitors came again though, and having drawn the defence in tight, the spread the ball wide to Sean Maitland who crossed despite the attentions of Aled Brew.

Half-time: Bath Rugby 11 – Saracens 8

The visitors started the second-half in much the same manner as they had started – pressing Bath back and making the home side defend, and Lozowski levelled the scores on the 46th minute with a drop goal. 11-11.

Bath were firing from the re-start, working aggressively up the pitch into the Saracens 22. Max Lahiff went closest to scoring, but the loosehead prop agonisingly dropped the ball over the line. Play was brought back for a Bath penalty after Lozowski committed a high tackle on Bowden. A quick consultation with the TMO ended with the Saracens playmaker being shown a yellow card, and Homer continued his strong afternoon from the tee, adding the three points to Bath’s tally. 14-11.

A missed penalty from Alex Goode could’ve seen the visitors draw level, but Saracens kept up the intensity, time and again forcing Bath in to defending. But the defence was magnificent, holding wave after wave of attack back as the Champions tried all possible routes to score.

With just 24 seconds left on the clock, the visiting side were awarded a penalty. Opting for the draw, Lozowski lined-up the kick from inside his own half. A collective breath was held by all 14,509 people at the Rec as he connected with the ball, before rapturous cheers greeted the ball falling short of the posts. Tapuai gathered the ball and kicked it out to seal the win for the home side.

Final score: Bath Rugby 14 – Saracens 11

]]>http://www.bathrugby.com/match-reports/bath-rugby-move-up-to-second-with-victory-over-league-leaders/Sat, 03 Dec 16 15:41:48 +00:00Internationals return for Bath RugbyFive of Bath Rugby’s international contingent have returned to the starting line-up for their Aviva Premiership match-up with Saracens tomorrow at the Recreation Ground, kick-off 12:15.

Dave Attwood, Luke Charteris, Taulupe Faletau, Kahn Fotauli’i and Semesa Rokoduguni all start for the West Country side tomorrow after their international appearances with England, Wales and Samoa.

Rokoduguni takes his place on the right wing, with Aled Brew named on the left. Ben Tapuai and Max Clark maintain their midfield partnership, with Tom Homer continuing at fullback. Fotuali’i joins Dan Bowden in the half-backs.

Max Lahiff comes in on the tighthead alongside Tom Dunn at hooker and Nathan Catt at loosehead, with the international duo of Charteris and Attwood combining to provide the power from the second row. Faletau comes in at number eight for his third appearance in the Blue, Black and White, with Matt Garvey shifting to the blindside and Tom Ellis remaining on the openside.

Director of Rugby, Todd Blackadder, is looking forward to the game. “We’re excited to get out and play tomorrow. We’ve prepared well this week, the boys have worked really hard and it should be a great contest right across the park.

“It’s been great having the international guys available for the game – they give us a bit of extra experience in key positions which always comes in handy!”

]]>http://www.bathrugby.com/match-previews/internationals-return-for-bath-rugby/Fri, 02 Dec 16 11:43:55 +00:00Obano named November’s BMT Academy Player of the Month Loosehead prop Beno Obano has been named as the November BMT Academy Player of the Month.

Having joined the Bath Rugby Academy in August 2014, Beno’s hard work and dedication to improving has caught the eye of Academy Manager Andy Rock this month.

The 22-year-old made his starting debut this season against Leicester in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, and has made six appearances to date.

“I really like the dedication and desire that Beno has to improve himself, and that’s why he’s been chosen as BMT Academy Player of the Month,” said Rock. “Beno has been putting in a lot of work away from the pitch recently to help best prepare himself for the opportunities to play when they come up, and to make sure he is ready to perform for the team on a weekend.”

“His dedication in working with Ben Coker (Academy Head of Athletic Development) and the rest of the strength and conditioning team has been excellent.

“The work that all the Academy guys do is impressive, but when a player and the coaching team put a development plan in place, which in this case has been driven by Beno, Ben Coker and Toby Booth, and the player then puts all his effort into that, it’s a really strong model of good practice.”

BMT is proud to maintain its relationship with Bath Rugby and, this season, to be named its Academy Partner. Developing talent is critical to our continued success as a business - a value we clearly share with Bath Rugby.

Seeing Bath’s home grown talent play a key part in the successful start to this season demonstrates why this matters. We’re looking forward to an exciting season ahead on the field and to watching the Academy players progress to sporting excellence.

]]>http://www.bathrugby.com/club-news/obano-named-november-s-bmt-academy-player-of-the-month/Thu, 01 Dec 16 10:40:20 +00:00Ford, Joseph and Ewels named in England side to take on AustraliaGeorge Ford, Jonathan Joseph and Charlie Ewels have all been named in the matchday 23 for England’s final match of the Old Mutual Wealth Series at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, kick-off 14:30.

Ford and Joseph both start, at fly-half and outside centre, with Ewels named on the bench.

“We’ve had a great week’s preparation and we can’t wait to get to Twickenham on Saturday with the crowd right behind us,” said head coach Eddie Jones.

“The great thing about our team is that no-one is irreplaceable. We’ve had seven influential players missing throughout the autumn but we’ve been able to we’d fill that gap and that’s the sort of team we are developing.

“Most big Test matches come down to the last 20 minutes and if you look back historically at big Test matches between England and Australia at Twickenham the last 20 minutes has always been a time where either team can win the game and the team that is the most composed, makes good decisions and physically pushes themselves is the team that is going to win the game.

“We want to make the game into a physical contest but we also need to be flexible and adaptable like we were against Argentina and if do that we’ll put ourselves in a good position to win the game.

“We’ve played three Test matches on the trot which is important because it replicates a World Cup pool. You get through the pool you then need to win every game to win the World Cup. We’ve won three from three so it’s a great dress rehearsal for the World Cup. We need to win this game to progress to the next stage. You can’t just win three games to go through, Japan showed that, so we’ve got to get in that practice of winning four games on the trot against quality opposition.”

*Update: Dave Attwood and Semesa Rokoduguni have been released back to Bath Rugby following this morning's training session with England.

England matchday 23 for the Old Mutual Wealth Series game against Australia

15. Mike Brown (vice captain, Harlequins, 54 caps)

14. Marland Yarde (Harlequins 10 caps)

13. Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 28 caps)

12. Owen Farrell (vice captain, Saracens, 46 caps)

11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 21 caps)

10. George Ford (Bath Rugby, 29 caps)

9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 64 caps)

1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 38 caps)

2. Dylan Hartley (captain, Northampton Saints, 78 caps)

3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 68 caps)

4. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 52 caps)

5. George Kruis (Saracens, 19 caps)

6. Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, 54 caps)

7. Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 44 caps)

8. Nathan Hughes (Wasps, 2 caps)

Replacements

16. Jamie George (Saracens, 11 caps)

17. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 45 caps)

18. Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 3 caps)

19. Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 2 caps)

20. Teimana Harrison (Northampton Saints, 4 caps)

21. Danny Care (Harlequins, 65 caps)

22. Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors, 2 caps)

23. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)

]]>http://www.bathrugby.com/club-news/ford-joseph-and-ewels-named-in-england-side-to-take-on-australia/Thu, 01 Dec 16 10:17:17 +00:00At the Rec this SaturdayIt’s a double-header of rugby action this Saturday, with Bath Rugby hosting Saracens in the Aviva Premiership at the Rec, kick-off 12:15, followed by England v Australia on screens around the ground at 14:30.

Details of where you can watch the England game and everything else you might need to know before you head to the Rec are below.

Travel Advice

Bath City Centre is likely to be extremely busy due to the Christmas Market and Christmas shopping, so please allow extra time when making your journey to the Rec.

Supporters are encouraged to use the excellent public transport links in and out of the city where possible. Centurion Travel has paired up with Bath Rugby to offer the fans a hassle-free and affordable trip to the Rec. To book, or consult the time table, please visit, http://www.bathrugbytransport.co.uk.

Park and Ride

Bath & North East Somerset Council have confirmed that there are extra Park & Ride buses running from all three sites from the outskirts of the city this weekend. All services run until 21.30 on Saturday with a return ticket costing just £3.00.

Please see below sat nav postcodes for the three park and ride sites.

Service 21 – Newbridge (Postcode BA1 3NB)

Service 31 – Lansdown (Postcode BA1 9BJ)

Service 41 – Odd Down (Postcode BA2 8PA)

Train

The Club has been working closely with Great Western Railway to ensure operations at Bath Spa run as smoothly as possible, particularly post-match. GWR are advising people to be prepared for queues and to please be patient when waiting for trains. Staff at the station, along with matchday stewards will also be on hand to direct people to the next available train.

If you are intending to travel by train, please check the latest timetables depending on where you are travelling from. Where possible, extra carriages will be laid on to cope with the extra demand.

You can also now also now cycle to the stadium, where free and secure parking spaces for bikes are offered at the Rec just next to Williams Gate.

Pre-match

The Club Shop on Argyle Street and the Mobile Shop in the Supporters’ Village in the West car park will be fully stocked with scarfs, beanie hats and warm coats amongst other things, so you can make sure you’re kitted up for the cold weather, or get a head-start on some Christmas shopping!

We will be holding our second matchday Season Ticket Holder Q&A of the season on the outfield at 11:15. will be held on the outfield prior to the game. All Season Ticket Holders are invited to attend, but due to capacity there will be a one in, one out policy in operation. Managing Director, Tarquin MacDonald, Performance and Player Development Director, Stuart Hooper, and Head of Operations, Alex Cohen, will be on hand answer to your questions about the Club.

Maximus will be roaming around the Rec from 11:15 and during the game – he’s looking forward to meeting you all!

Half-time

Premiership partners, Aviva, have organised a coaching session on the pitch at half-time with the Bath Rugby Community team – keep an eye out as you might be able to spot the Bath Rugby stars of the future!

Post-match

Make sure you stick around after the final whistle to cheer on England as they take on Australia at Twickenham. Kick-off on the final game of the Autumn Internationals is 14:30, with screens in both the Clubhouse and the Swift Half showing the game.

Food and bars

The usual concessions will be available, including AC Catering with their fan favourite - the ‘Banahan Wrap’ available. Also on hand to tickle your tastebuds will be Dough Pizza, Cau, Get Battered Fish & Chips, Pieminster and Grillstock BBQ.

]]>http://www.bathrugby.com/club-news/at-the-rec-this-saturday-3/Wed, 30 Nov 16 16:25:14 +00:00Travel advice for all supporters ahead of Saracens match Ahead of this Saturday’s home game against Saracens, the Club would like to proactively remind supporters to please allow extra time when making your way into the city this weekend.

With the Christmas Markets in full swing, the city centre will be incredibly busy. Therefore, we encourage supporters to make use of public transport where possible when planning their journey.

Please note that the game is kicking off at 12.15 meaning gates will be open earlier than normal at 10.15.

Have a look at the helpful travel guide below to make your journey to the Rec as easy as possible ahead of the game.

Park and Ride

Bath & North East Somerset Council have confirmed that there are extra Park & Ride buses running from all three sites from the outskirts of the city this weekend. All services run until 21.30 on Saturday with a return ticket costing just £3.00.

The Club has been working closely with Great Western Railway to ensure operations at Bath Spa run as smoothly as possible, particularly post-match. GWR are advising people to be prepared for queues and to please be patient when waiting for trains. Staff at the station, along with matchday stewards will also be on hand to direct people to the next available train.

If you are intending to travel by train, please check the latest timetables depending on where you are travelling from. Where possible, extra carriages will be laid on to cope with the extra demand.

Centurion Travel

Alternatively, the Club and Centurion Travel offer an excellent, affordable and hassle-free public transport service to and from the Rec every matchday. Covering most of the surrounding local areas, start points for the coach routes are Warminster, Midsomer Norton, Emerson’s Green and Devizes. To book, or check the timetable, please click here.

By Bike

If you feel you need an energetic warm up ahead of the game, we now offer free and secure parking spaces for bikes. You can find this within the ground, next to the William Street Gate.

]]>http://www.bathrugby.com/club-news/travel-advice-for-all-supporters-ahead-of-saracens-match/Wed, 30 Nov 16 09:34:22 +00:00WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE AVIVA PREMIERSHIP RUGBY FINAL & A CITIZEN WATCH*Celebrating the launch of their new TV advert featuring the Limited Edition Red Arrows Navihawk A.T which will be shown across all 12 Aviva Premiership Rugby Stadiums this autumn, Citizen are offering you the chance to win a pair of tickets to the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final 2017 and a watch of your choice up to the value of £500.

Simply click here to enter the competition before midnight on Monday 5 December.

Citizen is a leader in advance technology and their flagship Eco-Drive collection is powered by any natural or artificial light-source and never needs a battery change. With over 250 watches in the range, you’re sure to find the perfect watch for you.